Why Work?

Why work? This is a particularly important question to ask in America where the government will pay you for not working. I mean, if you can not work and still get paid, why make the effort to get out of bed and go to work? The Bibles gives us at least five reasons. The first reason is necessity, working to meet our needs. The Bible teaches that we go to work to provide for our needs and the needs of our family. If we are physically capable of working, we aren’t to depend on others to meet our needs, we are to provide for them ourselves. So the first reason to work is to put food on the table, clothes on our backs and a roof over our head. The second reason to work is prosperity, working to build wealth. To be wealthy and to be godly is not contradictory. Some of the most godly people in the Bible were some of the wealthiest people of their day (i.e. Job and Solomon). God is not opposed to us building wealth so long as we realize that to obtain wealth isn’t the highest motivation to go to work. God is concerned that will earn it honestly, give some back to Him regularly, save it steadily, spend it wisely and share it generously. The third reason to work is identity, working to express who God made you to be and what he made you good at. God has given each us special abilities to do certain things well, he’s given each of us different passions in life, different experiences and different personalities. All of these things are indicators of what work God has designed for us to do. And we are happiest when working with who God made us to be and what he made us good at. People who just chase a paycheck are rarely satisfied. You’d be better off doing something you love and something God has made you good at  (making a little less) than doing something you hate (making a ton of money). The fourth reason to work is for maturity, working to develop your character. Work is a great place to develop your character. At work you have the opportunity to practice patience, honesty, integrity, fairness, loyalty, as well as many other biblical virtues. Your family is the only other environment where your character will be developed to a greater degree than your work place. So next time you take a job, don’t just ask “How much will I make?” but “What will I become?” The fifth reason to work is for eternity, working to prepare for heaven. Our work in this life is preparation for our work in the life to come. We are saved by grace alone, but the Bible teaches that there’s a direct connection between how we work in this life and the roles and responsibilities and rewards God will give us in the next life. When you realize that your work has eternal ramifications, it’s a little easier to get out of bed in the morning. Work isn’t a curse, but a blessing! It provides our needs, helps us build wealth, gives us the opportunity to express who God made us to be and what he made us good at, it helps us develop our character as well as prepare for our roles and responsibilities in heaven. So when Monday roles around, think about all the good things work does, and be eager to hop out of bed!